H.K. protesters will be arrested

4seas

Hong Kong protesters will be arrested if they have not left Admiralty Occupy site by 11am

In an all-out clearance of the Occupy Central base camp in Admiralty today, police will sweep in from both ends of the site and arrest anyone who refuses to leave after 11am.

Officers will also record the personal details of people who leave voluntarily after that time.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the student leaders' invitation yesterday for protesters to return to Admiralty was "most undesirable".

Lam called on parents, teachers and university heads to persuade protesters to leave the site. Photo: Dickson Lee

"Knowing there are some radical elements among the protesters, confrontation might become inevitable," Lam said.

She added that she was "not so naive" as to think the clearance would put an end to the turmoil.

The uncompromising measures were revealed last night as thousands gathered in expectation of a dramatic end to the sit-ins that have been dubbed the "umbrella movement".

Leaders of Scholarism and the Federation of Students appealed to supporters to stay overnight and rally peacefully this morning.

Today at 9am, court bailiffs will enforce an injunction sought by a bus company that covers just a fifth of the camp.

SCMP